How Far Was Peter The Great Consideration In Making Russia Into A Naval Power Essay

Peter The Great should be granted the title of "Most Absolute Monarch" because he created a strong navy, recognized his army according to Western standards, secularized schools, administrative and territorial divisions of the country. Peter focused on the development of science and recruited several experts to educate his people about technological advancements. He concentrated on developing commerce and industry and created a gentrified bourgeoisie population. Mirroring Western culture, he modernized the Russian alphabet, introduced the Julian calendar, and established the first Russian newspaper. Peter was a far-sighted and skillful diplomat who abolished Russia's archaic form of government and appointed a viable

     Peter the Great had many strengths, but his best was he modernized Russia. By seeing Europe, he changed many things. He changed the calendar so the New Year would be January 1. He increased agriculture by growing new crops and increased the number of factories in Russia. He also started the first Russian newspaper and enlarged their army to 200,000 men. He also got a warm water port for his “window on the sea.”

Prior to Peter taking reign, the Russian society was in a rough condition. The economy was failing and the country's standing army was extremely weak. Russia was also in the midst of a war against the Ottoman Turkish Empire, with a goal to secure a Russian port on the northern coast of the Black Sea. Peter the Great ruled over Russia from 1682-1752.He tried to form warm water ports so they had the ability to trade in the in the winter. He also tried to improve Russia and modernize the culture. As an effect of these things, Peter the Great had an overall positive impact on Russia during his rule.

Peter the Great and Ivan the Terrible are both well know Russian Tsars. Both Russian rulers killed many of their own people but Peter the Great was a much better ruler because the second half of Ivan’s reign was characterized by political instability and atrocities committed by Ivan’s personal guard the Oprichnina while Peter continued to better the Russian state.

Peter westernized Russia and embarked on the ideas , technology and culture from the west. He forced the landowning nobles to shave their traditional beards and wear western style clothes. Peter also passed laws ensuring that nobles retained control over their lands and the serfs that were tied to it. Peter expanded Russian territory on the Baltic Sea ( document 4) . Peter created a strong army out of nothing that was feared by all. When he died he left behind a fleet of 48 ships and a army with over 200,000 men. Even though Peter helped his country expand its territory his lack of initiative and enterprise remained one of Russia’s greatest social weaknesses (document

Peter recognized that his country was falling behind the European countries in knowledge, technology, trade, and governing ability. Using his absolute power as a czar, he brought in foreign advisers to help him modernize, westernize and educate his people. Peter had a great respect for Europe, and his reforms had a lasting influence in Russia, though there was of course opposition from the more conservative nobles.

With increasing military strength, Peter the Great initiated the organization of his new navy. A strong navy, which Russia previously lacked, was essential to the state, due to the absence of warm water ports. While water does surround Russia, it is frozen over for the majority of the year, which made trade relatively impossible at the time. Therefore, capturing other warm water ports was a necessary step to increase Russian power. This necessity led to conflicts with both the Ottoman Empire, and the Swedish, who blocked Russia from the ports they desired. The strong navy that Peter developed, known as the Baltic fleet, had early successes in capturing Ottoman ports such as Azov; however, its main target was the Swedish who controlled Baltic Sea. The Swedish King at the time Charles XII, fought against Peter in the Great Northern War for these ports. In the battle of Poltava, Peter’s well trained fleet successfully crushed the Swedish; and the Russian

Peter the Great’s reforms had a profound impact on Russia, it introduced an era of change that he became known for. From Peter’s childhood he became known for his infatuation with ideas about the military and navy, enjoying pastimes like shipbuilding and sailing, as well as mock battles with toy armies. This strong influence left a lasting impression throughout Peter’s life, exemplified through his reforms and relations with Europe. This impacted Russia as Peter’s keen interest in Europe was a key inspiration for his reforms as his desire for knowledge and advancement was reflected in his personality and his rule. Peter’s interest in Europe also impacted Russia as it corresponded with a growing westernisation of typical Russian values and

in which men would have to pay a tax in order to keep their beards.

Peter the Great is known as the "emperor Peter", who was the Tsar and first Emperor of Russia. Peter the Great is historically important because he is a great emperor in the Russian history. He led a cultural revolution that replaced some of the traditionalist, medieval social and political systems with ones that were modern, scientific, westernized. Peter's reforms made a lasting impact on Russia and many institutions of Russian government trace their origins to his reign. Peter the Great helped the society through the politics, and helped the economics advanced. Most importantly, he influenced on many other people.

Peter the Great ruled over Russia from the late 1600’s to the mid 1700’s. He influenced Russia in many ways and shaped It in to a westernized country. Russia became westernized when Peter the Great began to fear the Ottomans, because they were great fighters and they continuously ransacked Russia. Peter decided to travel to Western Europe in disguised in search for allies to help his country. His trips to the west led to extensive changes in Russia; he became intrigued with western Europe and constructed Russia to have similar customs.

Peter waged wars against the Ottoman Empire, turning out to be mainly unsuccessful. There was also a Great War with Sweden. With these wars came Peter’s prospect of expanding his empire through the acquisition of new territory and access to the Baltic Sea. Boyars - nobles with the highest rank besides a prince- played a part in Russian government, but soon Peter weakened them by using tactics such as taking away their traditions.

Thought out history there has been many great monarchs. Some of these being Phillip II, Louis XIV, and many others during the time period. However, I believe that over all Peter the Great of Russia was the greatest monarch of them all. When Peter the Great took over Russia it was in a state of chaos with many rebellions taking place all over the country. Also, Russia then was a place unaffected by the European Renaissance and Reformation and still was like the middle ages. Though Peter’s reign (1682- 1725) he was successful in strengthening the military and adding on to the border, improving the Russian government and the lives of the people, and improving the education.

Succeeding two czars of Romanov descent, Peter the Great put Michael and Alexis’s accomplishments to shame. With ideals passed down by his father, Peter decided to modernize Russia. He traveled through Europe learning different building, military, and cultural aspects of the modernized country. During his journeys, he was able to make allies with some of the leaders of Europe. When he returned to Russia, he brought Western artists and builders to help shape a modernized Russia.

In 1696, with the death of Ivan V., the half brother and joint tsar of Peter, Peter the Great became an absolute monarch in Russia, and one of the most famous rulers in history. His extensive reforms transferred Russia from an isolated and chaotic country to a great and powerful nation in the world. Except for these reformations, St. Petersburg was also one of great legacy that Peter the Great.